Author Archives: Amy

2 new yardies

by Amy Posted on 30 March 2009

We’ve seen European Starlings in the trees around our house almost since we moved in, but I didn’t really want to count them as a yard bird until I had a photo. I didn’t think that would be too hard, but how wrong I was. Last week was the first time we spotted one on our feeders. I’ve always known Starlings to be bold and gregarious, but the ones in our neighborhood seem to be skittish and wary. This Starling visited our feeders very early one morning when it was still nearly dark out. The photo was taken by our birding robot, the Wingscapes Birdcam. I had to brighten up the image a lot so you could tell what kind of bird it is – yard bird #14, the exotic, endangered European Starling! 😉

European Starling

The Birdcam found yard bird #15, too. It would be several days before we saw this one for ourselves – the American Tree Sparrow.

American Tree Sparrow

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Chattanooga Cowbirds

by Amy Posted on 29 March 2009

Last November we took a short road trip down to Tennessee and the Carolinas. While in Chattanooga we saw this huge flock of Brown-headed Cowbirds feeding along the road.

Cowbirds in Chattanooga

Cowbirds in Chattanooga

Cowbirds have recently returned to our area. We’ve even seen them in our yard!

Brown-headed Cowbirds

I wonder if any of our Cowbirds are the same ones we saw in Chattanooga…?

Cowbirds in Chattanooga/span>

Posted in Wingscapes Birdcam, Yard Birds | Leave a comment

Robins love controlled burn

by Amy Posted on 27 March 2009

We visited Chain O’Lakes State Park on Saturday and walked the short Badger Trail on the north side of the park.

Chain O'Lakes State Park

The grass around this loop trail was recently burned and the scorched ground was bustling with recently-arrived American Robins.

Robin on burnt ground

Robins were everywhere – singing in the trailside trees, hopping along the ground and feeding like crazy on the dirt.

Controlled Burn

Posted in Illinois | 1 Comment

New to the yard list

by Amy Posted on 25 March 2009

We’re up to 12 birds on the yard list. I’ve seen American Robins playing in the yard for the last week or so. They mostly hang around the fences – I don’t see them scurrying on the grass too often.

American Robin

I was really surprised to see a Downy Woodpecker in the tree behind the yard the other day. He had a look at our suet feeder but didn’t stay on it. He did, however, go to town pecking at the tree. Check out the video below.

Downy Woodpecker

I almost had a heart attack when I looked out the window last week to see three American Goldfinches on the nyger sock. That sock has been out there – untouched! – since we moved in. They stayed on the sock for about 10 minutes before taking off.

Goldfinches on Nyger Sock

Any guesses what lucky #13 will be?

Posted in Yard Birds | 1 Comment

Early Spring Migrants

by Amy Posted on 24 March 2009

On Sunday morning we had the extreme pleasure to join experienced birder Jim Solum for the Early Spring Migrants program by the Lake County Forest Preserve District. To our surprise, we were the only participants, which meant that we had a private birding guide for the morning – awesome!

We met Jim at Spring Bluff Forest Preserve where we walked down a closed service road to look for birds. Right away we saw Northern Shoveler and Blue-winged Teal in the water through Jim’s scope. Soon an Eastern Meadowlark landed in a nearby tree for great looks. Song Sparrows were back and everywhere. During our walk (also by the lake at North Point Marina) we had Common Snipe, Wood Ducks, Northern Pintail and several Sandhill Cranes flying over.

Since we’re new to the area (sort of – I wasn’t really birding much before I moved to Holland) it was great to be able to ask Jim some basic questions – like when certain migrants can be expected to return, where we can see birds like Yellow-headed Blackbirds, and do Common Loons breed here (because they’re being reported everywhere! They are just passing through on their way to more northerly breeding grounds).

After the walk, we left Jim and had a short walk around the marina and then on a trail in another part of Spring Bluff. Besides lots of Song Sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds, we saw Bufflehead and one Horned Grebe. Not nearly as many birds as we saw with our guide! 😉

Bufflehead

Horned Grebe

We also saw this a cute black squirrel. We don’t see them too often so it was a treat.

Black Squirrel

Posted in Illinois, LCFPD | 1 Comment

Scope!

by Amy Posted on 23 March 2009

Last Wednesday, we drove up to Appleton in Wisconsin to purchase a used spotting scope from a member of the Wisconsin Birding Network (wisb). It’s a Leica Televid 77 in great shape.

Leica Spotting Scope

You’ll notice it’s a straight scope rather than angled. I’ve read that birders prefer to have an angled body for several reasons. However, some do prefer the straight body and it comes down to a personal preference. The deal on this used scope seemed pretty great so I decided to give the straight body a try. Before committing to buy the used Leica, we went to an optics shop to look at different scopes and body types. I really liked being able to keep my head straight when looking through the scope so I thought it would be fine to try the straight body Leica.

I also picked up the Manfrotto tripod (a discontinued model) that was for sale with the scope – but it came without the head. I ordered a Manfrotto head online and it arrived today!

Spotting Scope on Tripod

I can’t wait to use it in the field – hopefully we can try it out sometime this week. I’m sure it will take some practice before I am used to carrying it and setting it up on a walk. Until then, I’m getting really nice looks at our back yard juncos, finches and doves. 😉

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So sleepy…

by Amy Posted on 19 March 2009

Mourning Doves are visiting our feeders on a regular basis now. I’ve set out our Wingscapes Birdcam a few times and it seems that every time it takes a picture of a Mourning Dove eating, it has its eyes closed. The other day I had the cam set to video and it seems that the doves take a long, pronounced blink every time they take a bite.

dovessosleepy2

Often when I watch them sitting at the feeder, they seem to be in a trance or even sleeping; they will sit beside or on the food for minutes at a time, not moving. Why are Mourning Doves so sleepy? I guess mourning is an exhausting business.

Posted in Funny, lolbird, Yard Birds | Leave a comment